# What is the origin of symbols for arithmetic operators?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-symbols-for-arithmetic-operators/125999>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 28, 2002, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-symbols-for-arithmetic-operators/125999 "2002-08-28T22:05:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Engywook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@Engywook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engywook)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-symbols-for-arithmetic-operators/125999/1 "2002-08-28T22:05:24Z")

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Or I would be overjoyed to know even the earliest known use of the common symbols for +, -, the multiplication symbol, and the division symbol (the line between two dots, which I don’t know how to render here).

The multiplication symbol’s interesting, too… when did all those alternatives to that stylized _x_ spring up? If it’s as long ago as I think it is (since we’ve been using x to signify an unknown), why are we still stuck with it today? And did the _x_ symbol pre-date the letter?

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**Author:** ![Engywook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@Engywook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engywook)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-symbols-for-arithmetic-operators/125999/2 "2002-08-28T22:07:49Z")

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OOOPS! Two windows open to the SDMB is more than I can handle. Sorry, mods.

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**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-symbols-for-arithmetic-operators/125999/3 "2002-08-28T23:28:52Z")

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[Earliest Uses of Various Mathematical Symbols](http://members.aol.com/jeff570/mathsym.html) has a comprehensive review of their history.

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**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2002, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-symbols-for-arithmetic-operators/125999/4 "2002-08-28T23:40:11Z")

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Off to GQ.